Swab for tapered tubing



Filed Oct. 3l, 1928 Feb` 24, 1931. A. L. sEGELHoRsT lA-:T AL

SWAB FOR TAPERED TUBING nueusrnsnentiionsrnnn Linens. Banner, or Hermine-ron i. petroleum industry that it the well' starts to flowto .swab which is nothing more or less thana the'tubing ing the VaboveA mentioned use superposed by a i diameter which,

Patented F eb; 24, 1931 J-NITED. sTArss PArErJ swan-ron. TAPERE iniaiiier` y l Appiieanon inea october 31,1928.`

This` invention relates toV an improved swabbing organization which is particularly adapted for use-in connection with oil wells and has been developed especially for use in combination with a well having tapered tubingtherein. v

It is well known to those familiar with the is frequently necessary, in the` installation of tubing through which the oil is withdrawn from the well, Vto place the tubing in a series of stepped or tapered sections, the tubing at the bottom of the well being, say, two inches in diameter, tubing of, say, four inches in in turn, supports a tubing of six inches in diameter, etc. .Y Y

It is also known to those familiar with the art that it is common in, a well, prior to the installation of the pump or before employ a so-'called plunger adapted tobelowered into by meansV of a cable, the plunger being in turn provided with a suitable valve or valve means which will permit the upward flow of the liquid therethrough but will prevent. its return downward into the well during the wit-hdrawal of the swab.V

\ It is obvious that such a construction can be advantageously used only in av tube which has a uniform diameter from the point at which recent development of deep Wella-necessitattubing, it has been found necessary to produce i tol produce a swa i i. .Itis a further aswab which will be effective to'remove the liquid from a well in which the casing-is not of substantially uniform diameter throughout..

lIt is therefore an objectof this invention characterlast described which contruction and eficientV in itsv .object ofthe develop an vorganization of this V.is simple of operation.

class which of swab sections, each secall oft tries@n practice in bringi-ng or inremoving liquid therefrom, i

of the tapered bbingorganizationV of the invention to semi N6. 316,124'. l 1

tions being provided with co-operating interlocking means whereby each section iscarried to the bottom of the respective tubing section before the same is released vfrom the entire swabbing organization.

BnAcmoALironNiA It is a further objecty ofthe invention to f the upward flow of the'fluidthroughthe swab while'the organization is .being lowered into the tubing.V It is also an object of the invention to p oduce an organization in which the individual: members or swab .units are so connected thatr a uniformly sealed swabbing` construction is lformed while the organization is being moved upwardly through the tubing.` This construction is obtained by providing co-operating shoulders or valve seats upon the Vtop and bottoni ends of the adjacent members which `unite to form the swabbng organization.

Other advantageous features of this in-l vention and further' objects' attending its production .will be better understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings which are chosen for illustrative purposes only and in which. v F is an elevational view partly in section. illustrating the swabbing organization ofthe character described into a wellhaving taperedztubingtherein. Figa-2 is an elevational viewsimilar to Fig. l but illustrating thejswabbiii'g organizationas having been lowered into the well vs being lowered vprovide an organization inwhich the interand in a position'prior to the initiation of Fig.

plane represented by: the line 55v in- Fig'. 3.

.Figi 6` is. a pla 3;'ll'ld v .i :1: -Fgz 7 is elevational viewfjllustrating Fig. is a-plan'lsectioii taken *Y l' in the Qf nsectiontaken .i f -in--the plane representedfby-'the'line 6 6 in a part of being suspended within thev tubing by means of a cable 13. rlhe swabbing organization 12,:

in the form of the invention illustrated in the. drawing, embodies three units orswab members indicated by reference numerals 14,

' 15 and 16 which are of progressively increasing diameter, the outside diameter of these units being substantiallyv the'same as the inside diameterofthe respective tubings 11a,

11o and 110.

lt will be understood plungers 15a` and 16a on each one of the swabbing members 15 and 16 may be of any standard construction and that the novelty of this invention resides largely Vin a unit which embodies a series of swab members of rooressivel increasing diameters. 'These Y l? Y D c swab the well.

members are' provided with co-operative interlocking` means my means of which the upper. member, during downward movement ,through a tubing section, is released upon engagement of this member `with the upward end of the next tubing-section of smaller diameter. v l l' rlhis feature ofl the invention is perhaps best illustrated invFig. 2 in which it will be noted that-the upper member'l, which is ofthe largest diameter, and which is adapted to engage the walls of the tubing section 110,

is illustrated as resting upon a shoulder 1T in the collar or coupling 17 which connects the larger tubing member 11o with the inter- Vmediate*tubing member 11b. `The intermediateswabbing lmember 15, upon the engagenientofthe upper member lrwithv the mentioned-shoulder 17, is releasedin a manner which will' be hereinafter described and travels, down through" tubing section "1lb into engagement with the shoulder 18 formed on-the upperend 18 of the smaller tubing section 11a. The lower swab member 14 then travels down through this small section ofthev tubing unt-iljit is desired to withdr vthe sameand thereby ltwill be understood that, fore'mentioned, the'lower Vswab section 14 may be of anypreferred constructionand .`V in the form 'of the invention illustrated this member `comprises a so-called plunger section,

the lower'end iof which lis provided with aV valve. section 21 which receives a valve mem- 4-ber`22. The valve member 22 is provided with sections 11a, 11b

that the Vcup orV be Vunderstood from locking socket as was heretoan upwardly extending stem 23 which passes through a cage 24 mounted upon the upper end of the plunger section 20 and is attached to the lower end of a weight 25. lt will-be understood that, during the downward movement of the organization through the well, the pressure of the oil upon the lower'edge of the plunger 2O tends to force the plunger upward upon the stem 23, thereby forming an opening between the valve 22 `and the valve seat 21 which admits thepassage of fluid upward through the plunger 20 and out of the cage 24. lt' will also beunderstood from the illustrationin Fig. 2 that the weight 25 is made of a diameter such that it is smaller than the plunger 2O in order that the liquid may pass thereabout and admit the downward movement of the weight through the .smallertubing 11a. y

The detailedconstruction of the individua-l swab members which embody the unit or swabbing organization are best illustratedin Fig. 3 which shows'the weight section 25 as being upwardly yprovided with a threaded recess 26 which receives-thelower threaded end of a head member 27. The re- 'cess 26 and the head member 27 co-operate with slips 28 to engage and hold the vlower end 13a of the supporting cable 13. lt will this construction ythat the' r cable 13 comprises'the sole supporting Ameans for the whole unit. fllhe upwardly provided with an interlocking head 29 which is received by a co-operating inter- 1 3() formed Aupon the lower end of the intermediate swabbingv section 15. Thisinterlo'clring head and socket construction is carried throughout the entire swabbingorganization, being provided between each set of swab members. Y y

As is best illustrated in Fig..3, Athis locking construction'comprises an upwardly extendthe free passage there-l through ofthe VcableV 13, The stem 31 is outvwardly-provided with' a plurality of so-called wedge members -in- Fig. 4 as being passage of liuid; and,

33 which are best illustrated spaced apart to admit the as sli-own in Fig. 3, both the top and botton'ifaces of these wedge mem-v bers are tapered to admit their passageby ka yieldable annular memberjin the form of a solit ring 34 which is retained within an an-` 'nular groove orrecess 35 formed'in the inner` surface of the socket 30. l

The ring member/34 rests upon a shoulder 35 and, when the members are in the position shown in Fig. 3 duriiigtlie normal movement swabbiug Y head member 27 is i llG Vof'theswabbingorganization in either direction,I this ring acts as a lock between the two members between-which it is' interposed.

' Upon the engagement ofthe swabmelnber 15 withfthe shoulderk 18,- as illustrated in Fig'. 2, whichl ee'cted upon a suitable shoulder 38 formed upon the outer surface of the socket passage of the member 30, the impact'from such anengage- 'menti is suicient tocause the' wedge memand yits attending parts;

l The impact Aspoken Vof above as Vresulting from the engagement between theswab meniv aber and the shoulder 18 isof` course secured effected by the downward n iovementof the Vweight 25.

' In order that the head` member .27 maybe against af 'wobbling or oscillating movement within the socket 29, the lower'sec- I shown in Fig. 3, that i member 16 andthe upper 413 which is retained fused inv connection tion except that in the upper organization the tion of the stem member 31 is provided with Y`a pluralityof outwardly extending lugs or guide members 39 Which are spaced apart as indicated in Fig. `6 to admit the upward passage of the Vfluid'through the swab;`

It will Valso bevnoted, from the illustration the head member 27 is provided with a downwardly sloping sh-oulder 40 which is adapted to Cio-operate with the opp-ositely formedV and similarly sloping shoulder 41 upon the lower edge of the socket member 30fto forma seator valve, and'it will be seen from the illustration shown in Fig. 7 that, when the upward movement of the sw'abbing organization is initiated, these mentioned shoulders are brought into engagement and the downward passage of the Huid, above the swabbing member 15, is prevented. Y i

The locking head and socket organization indicated at 29 and 80', respectively, between the lower end'of the largest swabbing end of thel intermediate swabbing member 15, is the same in form as that described in connection with the head- 27 andthe lower end' 'of the intermediate swab 15. And to more clearly illustrate this construction the details of this organization are indicated by the same lrefer-ence numerals with the lower construcnumbe'rs are distinguished by the prime mark. Y Y

Inthe operation of this invention it will" be understood that the units 14, 15 and 16`are arranged in locked lrelation to each other'as iland, in this relation, it

organization is supported bymeans of cable inthe weight 25V by means of the slips indicated at 28.

.The main advantageinjhaving the members locked to one another., it will beunder-V 'fstood' byrthose familiar with the art, is Vto prevent the possibility` of one of the members becoming lodged in the casing-due to the frictiony ofthe swab or cup upon vthe inner surface `ofthecasing; L i' As the organization shown irl-Figlia low-V ered downward into the'tubing` with the shoulders circumstances the any liquid vwhich is in the tubing passes upward through the valve organization indicated atY 21 and 22 from vwhich Y member 14 member through the cage 2 As the unit moves on down the liquid passes between the shoulders 40`and41 from which vit is carriedl upwardthrough the passage32 in the stem 31 and intothe tubular passage 45 1n a tubular connectionmember 46'which is interposed. between the upper and klower it passes through the lower swab f and out' into the tubing'above this ends of the swabk member 15. This liquid of course passes from this member into the tubu-V lar passage 45f which is formedin the tubular i `member 46""in the upper swab "member y16 vand so on throughout the organization? as far* asit may bedesiredto ycarry'this series of members. y

As was previously explained, the engagement of the members 15 and 16 respectively, 17 and 18 in the upper ends of the tubingsections 11b and 11a, re`spectively, is eii'ectiveto Vthrough through which liquidrmay beladf vancedby means of upward movementof the swabbing member lVhenthe low member 14, Vis carriedl upward toca suspended therebelow.

gagement with theY lower end of the swabbing member 15, th-e shoulders 40 and 41 are brought into vengagement which prevents the downward passage ot liquidfrom tubingll 'and this liquid is accordingly advanced' upward through the swabbing memberV ,or packer 16 rwhich is in the bottom of the tubing section y11e.v 1

Y It'will vbe understood that under certain disengage the units supported below'these members; and, i'n this case,

er swabbing. member, such asY v point at Y which the upper end 27 is brought into len-V locking` members 4'may be me,v

eliminated by making the tubing members 46 t and 46- of suiiicient weight to eiiectl thedownward movement of dependently l Fromk the foregoing description itV will be apparent that this in'vention Yembodies an organization which may be easily constructed, oney ,whichv may: adaptedV for use in a 'so-v each swabbingsectionl in- 1 called, tapered stem.- or tubing having any numberVVV of sections of upwardly 'increasing diameters, and that the locking feature of the unit comprisesa Vfeature 'which obviates the possibility ofone `ot' the swab membersvbecoming stuck `w'ithin'the section with which `its outer surface' is4 inV engagement-dueto frictioiithereon or irregularities inthe tubingM thefprecise ifoonstruction set forth but.'A in cludes -withm 'its'isco'pe whatever changes j I y :.:1-:f,-:kfj*12a V It will be understood that, whilefwe have "herein .described and .illustratedone specific Vtorni of the invention,"it isnotlimitedv to l ing: a plurality ofL separate swabcomprising `a yieldable member and means ISE fairly come within the spirit ofthe appenda ed' claims. v Y

` means Vfor locking saidk members to each other comprising a split ring in one of said members, and wedge means on a cooperatingv member adapted to engage said split ring.

members movable relative to each other; yreleasable means for lockingsaid members to each other comprising` a split ring in one of said members, and wedge means on a oo-operating member adapted to engage said split ring, said wedge means including fluid Lpassages. 1

a. A well-swabbing organization embodying: aA plurality' of interconnected swab members;-and` means for supporting said swab members as a unit, said members being releasably connected to each other by means mounted in a recess formed in one ofsaidmembers, and

'fixed projections formed upon an adjacent member and adapted toengagesaid-yieldable member. Y

5. A well-'swabbing organization embodying: a plurality of interconnected swab members; and means for supporting said swab members as a unit, saidv members being releasably connected to each other by means comprising a lyieldable annular memberV mounted in a recess formed in .one of said members, and fixed projectionsformed upon an adjacent member and adaptedto vengage said yieldable member, saidprojections being' spaced apart to admitthe'passage of fluid.- l l 6. VA well-swabbingforganization embodying: aplurality of separate swabmembers movable relative to Veach other; means for supportingsaid members as a single unit;

sage of fluid through said unit while 'said unitis moving downward into a well; and means lfor preventingthe downward passage of fluid through said unitduring the with- I dra-wal of said unit from said well, said last 'l mentioned means embodying vannular valves formed by'co-operating shoulders on the upper and lower ends of adjacent units.`

7 YA well-svvabbing organization embody'- ing: ya plurality ofseparate swab members movable relative to each other, releasable means for locking said members toeach 4othrigid wedge means Vtransmit pressure from said A well-swabbingV organizationembodyfor admitting the upward passocket on the er; means for supporting said members as a members being provided with a locking'head,

the other of said members `beingprovided with .a locking socket adapted to receive said head; Vyieldable means interposed between said head and said socket; and substantially adapted to engage said means, said yieldablemeans being shoulder and to Wedge 'means to yieldable adaptedv to engage a fixed said shoulder.

9.. A swabbing organization of the chari acter described embodying the combination: co-operating swab members, one of' said swab members being provided with a locking head, the other Vof said members being provide with a locking socket adapted to receive said head; yieldable means interposed between said head and said socket; substantially rigid wedge means adapted to engage said yieldable means, said yieldable means being adapted to engage a fixed shoulder and to transmit pressure Jfrom said wedge means to said shoulder; and substantially rigid guide means positionally 'fixed relative toy said wedge means for'keeping said Vswab members in alignment.

10. A swabbing organization of the character' described embodying the co-operating swab members, one of said swab vmembers being'provided with a locking head,

the other of said `members being provided with a locking socket adapted to receive said head; yieldable means interposed between said head and said socket; substantiallyrigid wedge meansy adapted to engage said yieldable means, said yieldable means being adapted to engage ai fixed shoulder and to transmit pressure from vsaid wedge means to said shoulder;

means for keeping said swab members m alignment; said wedge means and said guide means ybeing provid sages. v

' 11. A swabbing organization of the character described embodying an upper swab member; a lower swab member; a 'stem on the upper end of said lower swab member; a

lowerV end of said upper swab member, said socket being providedwith an annular channel; and' a yieldable member mounted inV lsaid channel; wedge members formed on said stem adapted to be forced up- '1 ward by said yieldable. member and to be supported by said socketv -through engagement with the Yupper edge of said yieldable member.

12. A swabbing organization of the charifacter described` embodying anl upper swab` combination substantially rigid guide means lpositionally fixed relative to said wedge d with circulation pas- Y leasably `ter described, a Vreleasable unidirectionalv the upper end of `said lower swab member; a socket on the lower end of said upper swab member, said socket being provided with an annular channel; a yieldable member mounted in said channel; wedge members formed on said stem adapted to be forced upward by said yieldable member land to be supported by said socket through engagement with an upper edge of said yieldablermember, said wedge members'being formed to admit their downward passage by said yieldable member upon the sudden application of a downward force to said stem.

13. A swabbing-organizationof they char-d acter described embodying an upper swab member; a lower swab'member; a stem on the upper end of said'lower swab member; a socket on the lower end of said upper swab member, said socket being provided with an annularfchannel; ayieldable member mounted in said channel; wedge members formed on said stem adapted to be forced upward by said yieldable member and to be supported by said socket through engagement with an upper edge of said yieldable member; and guide means on said stem in adownward spaced relation with said wedge members.

14. For use in combination with a stepped well tubing, wardly decreased diameters, aswabbing 0rganization embodying a plurality of swab members arranged one above the other and having downwardly decreased diameters to correspond with the diameters of said tubing sections; releasable interlocln'ng means becomprising sections of downi on; and a split ringarranged in said annular Y groove to engage said projections, the lower end of said tubular stem being tapered and i arranged to seat u on corres ondin l tae P Y pered shoulders formed on said second swab member.

In testimony whereof, wel have hereunto ysetour hands at Los Angeles, California, this 13th day of October, 1928.

AUGUST L. SEGELHORST. HUGH S. BERKEY.

tween said swabbing members; means for supporting said members as a single unit; and means for releasing said locking means comprising houlders on the outer surfaces of said members adapted to engae theV upper edge of the next smaller section of tubing.

15. In a swabbing organization of the character described, a releasable unidirectional valve coupling adapted to connect two swab members, including: a tubular stem on the first of said swab members; a stem on the second of said swab members; means for reengaging said stem of said second wab member within thetubular stem of said rst mentioned swab member; and cooperai tive valve means arranged between the end of said tubular stem andv said second swab member to effect a unidirectional Vflow of `liquid when said organization is reciprocated within a well. l Y v p 16. In a swabbing element of the characvalve coupling adapted to connect two swab members, including: a tubular stem on the first of said swab members, said tubular stem having an internal annular groove therein; a stem onthe second swab member adapted to entersaid tubular stem, said st em having peripheral wedge-shaped projections there- 

